Angel Island Fire

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lIsland

 

The fire lit up the entire San Francisco Bay as it devoured wildlands

on Angel Island.

 

Firefighters were ferried by boat to the island which has no land access.

 

When Angel Island caught fire, WildCare knew our Wildlife Hospital

might be inundated with burned or smoke-asphyxiated patients. The

hospital was put on alert to intake frightened and injured patients if

they arrived.

 

As of this writing, no fire-damaged animals have arrived at WildCare's

hospital. Karen Wilson, WildCare's Executive Director spoke with Dave

Gould, State Parks Marin District Superintendent who said the first

assessment by Park personnel was that wildlife has either perished or

moved to safe ground.

 

According to Ruth Coleman, Director of State Parks, no dead animals

have been found. Fortunately no ground-nesting birds are raising

young at this time of year, and because it is October, not baby

season, all of the animals living on the island should be mobile and

able to get out of the fire's way. There is at least one reported

sighting of a deer and juvenile fawn swimming from the island to

Belvedere. Apparently these animals made it across Raccoon Straits to

safety.

 

As all San Francisco Bay Area residents know, Angel Island, the large

state park in the middle of the Bay burned dramatically on Sunday

evening, October 12, 2008. The flames spread across much of the

eastern side of the island, and encroached heavily into the western

side and down to the water in the south.

 

Firefighters responded to the blaze, and by Monday afternoon the

flames were said to be 75% contained. Ultimately approximately 400

acres of the island were reduced to ashes.

What About the Animals?

 

On Monday, October 13 WildCare was contacted by reporters at KPIX

Channel 5 with the questions echoed by dozens of concerned callers --

what was happening to the wild animals on the island?

 

With Park personnel on the alert for injured wildlife, WildCare will

continue to be ready to receive injured animals if they are found. An

additional concern is the post-conflagration destruction of habitat on

the island which will leave many island-bound animals with fewer

resources to survive the winter.

 

As always, WildCare will be here to help these and all wild animals

that need our care.